Pansy's Perfect
by De Felton
Summary: Another De story... you know what it's going to be about. Or do you?
1. Pansy's Love Potion

Pansy Parkinson walked down the hallway alone, as usual. Her stringy brown hair was pulled behind her back in a loose ponytail and she had hastily applied a layer of tan eyeshadow. It didn't improve her looks at all, and for all the good the makeup had done she could have smeared mud over her eyelids. She wasn't ugly, just plain. Well, maybe that's a bit of an overstatement. She wasn't the kind of girl that could easily catch a boy's eye. Her skin was milky white, her lips were thin and a pale pink, her eyes were too small and round colored a dark shade of brown, and her nose was small and upturned. She was short for a 15 year old girl, about 5' even, and incredibly skinny.  
She had a black book bag slung around one shoulder, filled to the brim with textbooks and notebooks. She found a secluded chair in the library- how she hated the smell of the dusty books and the sight of the other study crazed students- and reached into her bag. She found a thick volume about Potions and flipped to the page she had earlier marked with with a piece of cloth. The section was about love spells, she momentarily thought of turning to the section on beauty spells, but then remembered what she really needed. She slowly flipped through the pages until she came to Winning One's Affections.  
"Rosemary, thyme, ylang ylang oil," She whispered the ingredients aloud. "Hair from the prospect. Mix the four together, burn every night for nine nights. When you and the prospect are alone, burn the oil in sight. If no results after ten days, prospect should drink the mixture."  
"What're you reading?" A voice said from behind her. Pansy turned around and saw Draco Malfoy standing behind her, looking at the book. She slammed the covers together.  
"Nothing." She said quickly.  
"Love potion?" Draco asked her quizzically. "Are you in love, Pansy?"  
"No, no, of course not." She felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "What on earth would give you that idea?"  
"The fact that your book was just open to a page on love potions." He smirked. "Who is it, Pansy?"  
"Why should I tell you, Draco?" She hissed and put a hand up to her messy ponytail. She absent mindedly tried to smooth it out. "I don't think it's really any of your buisness. Do you?"  
Draco took a step back and scowled. "I was just curious, that's all."  
Pany sighed and frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm in a bad mood today. I have so much homework, and I can't concentrate."  
Draco took a seat beside her. "I know the feeling. Why don't you steal the answers from someone?"  
"I'm trying not to get expelled this year, Draco," Pansy grinned at him. She pulled her hands back. "How awful is my hair?"  
"It's fine," He leaned forward and looked at her closely. She momentarily wondered if he could be reading her mind. His gaze was so intent, it seemed a likely possibilty.  
"Why don't you go and ask Crevey to borrow his camra to take a picture of me? I don't have all day to sit around and be gawked at by the likes of you, Draco Malfoy."  
Draco blushed slightly and settled back into his chair. "You're wearing make-up." He announced loudly. A few Hufflepuffs at the next table looked over. Pansy scowled at them and they returned to their work. "You must really like this one."  
"Well, I have had a bit of a crush on him for a while. Since 1st year, actually." She wished she hadn't said the last sentence.  
"Do I know him?"  
"Too well, as a matter of fact." Pansy bit her lower lip nervously. "I really should not be talking to you about this."  
"Why not? Don't you trust me?" Draco pretended to look hurt.  
"I don't know if I trust you on this particular matter, it's nothing personal. If you knew who it was, you'd rather I'd not told you."  
"Does he return your feelings?"  
Pansy laughed, and looked at Draco. "Are you serious? Would any boy in his right mind so much as look at me?"  
Draco opened his mouth to say something, then shook his head. "You have no self confidence, Pansy," He scolded playfully. "You have a lot of potential under that harsh shell."  
"Potential for what? Changing my looks?" She laughed again. "I've accepted I'm uglier than something you'd find on the bottom of your shoe."  
"I don't think that."  
"Everyone else does," Pansy blushed again. Was he complimenting her? "The point is he doesn't like me, or even remotely care about me. He probably doesn't even know that I exist."  
Draco shrugged. "I'm sure he does. You can sit here moping around all day if you want, it isn't at all my problem." He turned and walked off.  
Pansy scolded herself mentally. What was she thinking? Should she just tell Draco? The thought had never crossed her mind. She could trust him. On most things. She hadn't lied about that. But there was no telling how he might react to the news of. her crush. Would he totally freak out? Knowing Draco, that was probably what would happen.  
Pansy dropped the Potions book back into her bag and left the library. The librarian glared at her as she passed, and Pansy was kind enough to send a nasty look back at her. She walked down the deserted hallways and heard the echo of footsteps- most likely Draco's. However she was in no mood to talk to him. Instead, she headed towards the Gryffindor portrait. 


	2. Pansy's Big Problem

Pansy paused in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. The painted woman's gaze followed Pansy. She slipped into the shadows at the end of the hallway and sat down in the corner. Her book bag rested beside her. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the cold stone wall. After a few minutes- it could have been even an hour, she lost track of time- the sound of heavy footsteps brought her back to a concious state. She sat up, rigid and waiting.  
"Pansy?" A hoarse voice called through the darkness. Pansy's eyes darted to the fat lady- she was asleep- and crept forward.  
"Yes?" She whispered, fear gripping her throat.  
"Do you know what time it is?"  
"No," Her voice shook, she felt tears begin to push their way through the corners of her eyelids.  
"Do you want to know?"  
Pansy couldn't answer. Instead, she gasped for air. Her lungs seemed to shrink, she couldn't get enough air.  
"It's midnight, Pansy."  
Pansy choked and stretched her arms out in front of her, searching for the voice. Her chest felt on the verge of exploding, pain shot down her stomache and even into her head. She collapsed onto the floor in a kneeling position.  
"Do you know what's happening?" He paused long enough to hear Pansy gasp in pain, releasing what precious air her lungs still held. Why wouldn't the stupid portrait wake up and call for help? Why did it never wake up? "You're dying. Do you want to die, Pansy?"  
The pain stopped, Pansy took a deep breath. "No." She croaked, grasping her throat. Then the pain returned.  
"Why not? Haven't I done my job? Made you wish you were dead?" The voice laughed and took a form. Pansy reached out and grabbed the person's ankle. She squeezed tightly and pulled herself forward. The person kicked her away. She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold her breath. The person obviously knew that she couldn't possibly survive this torture for much longer. There was a strange yellow light, and Pansy could breath.  
She took a few deep breaths and stood up. "You can't break me." She muttered coldly. "You might as well as leave me alone."  
The person laughed again and stepped into the light. Pansy gasped, she had never seen her nightly attacker. But here he was. Her legs felt like they had turned rubber. She leaned back against the wall. "Why are you doing it?" She asked, breathless once again.  
"You'll never understand, Pansy," He said, holding his wand in one hand and taking a step forward. He poked her in the chest with the wand, and laughed again. "But I understand. And that's all that really matters, isn't it?"  
"I- I- trusted you!" Pansy cried, pushing the boy as hard as she could. He stumbled backwards, then recovered his balance. He laughed harder. "How could you do this to me? I didn't even do anything to you!"  
"Yes, you did."  
"And what, pray tell, was that?" Pansy was suddenly very afraid of the seemingly kind figure before her.  
"I know." He said simply before vanishing back into the shadows.  
Pansy broke down into tears. How was this happening to her? She had liked him so much, maybe even loved him! But now he. he was trying to kill her! Or was he? Maybe he was a sadist. And he knew what? Pansy was sure she didn't have anything to hide from him.  
She slowly made her way back to the Slytherin common room. Suprisingly, Draco was still awake. His eyes widened when he saw her tearstreaked face. He ran over to her and put an arm around her shoulder. He slowly led her back to a chair. She reluctantly sat down.  
"What happened?" He asked, concerned.  
"He- he put a spell on me!" Pansy cried. "He made me stop breathing!"  
"Who?" Goyle asked from behind Draco. "I'll beat him."  
Draco glared over his shoulder at Goyle. "I'll handle it, Goyle."  
Pansy smiled slightly, it was rare to see two boys so close to her. "It doesn't matter anymore. I just want to go to bed. Good night, Draco." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheeck. "Good night, Goyle." She kissed him, too. Then she turned on her heels and left. 


	3. Pansy's Getting Paranoid

Pansy lay under the thick cotton comforter, which was tucked tightly around her body. She shivered, from fear and not from the cold air surrounding her. She clutched the pillow tightly, as if clinging to life itself. In one night she had lost every hope for a good life she possessed. Sure, she acted like she had a stone heart and nothing penetrated its cold surface, but she just did it to hide who she really was. Lies, her entire life was based on lies.  
She rolled over and felt a tear slide down her cheek. She had best not let the other girls see or hear her crying. She quickly stiffled her tears and wiped her face on the edge of the blanket. She looked around for a clock- there was none. The only clock was in the common room. She pushed the covers to the foot of the bed and slid onto the cold stone floor. She found a pair of black silk house slippers and slid into them. She slowly opened the door and walked quietly down the marble staircase.  
"Pansy, is that you?" A voice called from the common room.  
"Yes," Pansy answered shakily.  
"Why're you up?" The voice belonged to Crabbe. He was sitting at the foot of the stairs. Pansy hurried forward and sat next to him. She knew that Crabbe and Goyle would maim Ron if they knew. But they didn't. At least she was safe here, next to big tough Crabbe.  
"I couldn't sleep." She told him.  
"Why not?" He asked, tilting his head at her.  
"Didn't Draco and Goyle tell you?"  
Crabbe sighed and shrugged. "They never tell me anything."  
Pansy felt a stab of sympathy for Crabbe. She knew that Draco was just using him for protection. Goyle, who knew what use Goyle served? "Ron attacked me."  
"He what?" Crabbe cried, standing up abruptly. "When? Where? Why?"  
"I don't know, he's done it a couple times," She bit her lower lip, fighting back the rush of emotion fighting to break through. "I don't know why he does it."  
"You told Draco and Goyle, though?"  
Pansy nodded curtly. "They can't do anything, though. I don't want them to. I don't want you to do something either. You'll get in trouble."  
"Are you going to tell someone?" Crabbe asked, sitting back down beside her and putting a thick hand on her shoulder.  
"I'm afraid of what he'll do to me or you three," Pansy lied. The truth was, she still had feelings for him. "I'll just wait until he gets tired of torturing me-"  
"Torturing?!" Crabbe half shouted, standing up again. "What in the hell does he do to you, Pansy?"  
"He just. like, puts a spell on me, I guess," Pansy muttered. "Makes it so I can't breathe. Then, he laughs at me. Asks me if I know what's going on. If I know that I'm dying and if I want to die. He only lets up when I'm about- about to die."  
Crabbe was silent for a minute. "I can't just sit around and let him do those things to you, Pansy. You're like my kid sister, I feel like I have to protect you. At least let me hit him, Pansy."  
"I'm not even totally sure it's him, Crabbe, I mean, you of all people should know about Polyjuice Potions. What if it's someone else, messing around."  
"Then we beat Ron until he tells us who it is," Crabbe suggested. "He's bound to know, isn't he? I bet you it's Potter."  
"It isn't Harry," Pansy said, rolling her eyes. "You just blame him for everything that goes wrong around here. You and Draco and Goyle are all the same. He molds you two, doesn't he?"  
Crabbe shrugged. "He's usually the cause of everything. And I wouldn't say mold, that's kind of a strong word. He. gives us a nudge in the right direction."  
Pansy snickered. "He does a hell of a lot of nudging, then."  
"I'm going to go to sleep," Crabbe said. Pansy stood up.  
"You won't tell anyone I told you it's Ron?"  
"You didn't tell Draco and Goyle?" Crabbe asked, wide eyed.  
"Of course not. I don't trust either one of them half as far as I could throw them." Pansy smiled and stood up. She hugged Crabbe, he stepped back in surprise. "Sleep well."  
Crabbe nodded and went upstairs. Pansy sat down in a chair in front of the fire. She took a few deep, calming breaths. Pansy stretched out a hand, waving her fingers an inch before the flames. She smiled as warmth spread through her hand and up her arm. She sighed and leaned back into the soft plush chair.  
She remembered the reason she had come down, and looked up at the clock. It was two thirty in the morning. Why had Crabbe been awake at such an ungodly hour? But on the other hand, it seemed safe to go on a midnight stroll. She stood up and pushed open the portrait door. She snuck outside without waking the portrait, and walked along the stone hallway.  
She heard voices further done the corridor. "It's time!" A boy's voice murmered excitedly. "I can't wait. This time it's going to be great."  
Pansy, drawn by the boy's voice- who's was it? it was so familiar!- pressed up against the wall into the shadows and slid slowly towards the owner of the voice.  
"I still can't believe you're doing this," A girl said, sounding very irratated.  
Pansy came close enough to see their sillehoutes. She could make out two very familiar people conversing side by side, sitting on the fire, with a lit candle between them. Pansy gasped. 


	4. Pansy's Bad Dream

Parvati Patil handed Neville Longbottom a ceramic goblet. He sprinkled something into it, then drank it. Pansy clamped a hand over her mouth. She had been right! It really wasn't Ron, it was Neville and Parvati. She took a step forward, preparing herself to address the pair. When Pansy had taken on the role of the tough girl the students of Hogwarts knew her to be, she personally agreed to stay true to her character.  
Pansy stepped out into the moonlight. Parvati and Neville looked up. He dropped the goblet. "And what are you two doing?" Pansy asked lazily, as if she didn't care. "Staying up past the mourner's hour and meeting, doing spells and mixing potions? This does seem interesting."  
"She caught us!" Neville hissed in an attempt at being subtle.  
"I caught you, Longbottom," Pansy hissed. "But doing what?" She snatched a piece of the broken goblet. There was a thick drop of the potion left. She wiped it clean and examined her finger. "Polyjuice." She diagnosed, wiping her hand clean on Neville's robes.  
"It is not!" Parvati said defensively, climbing to her feet. She picked up the candle and held it at eye level. "You'd best be getting back to your room."  
Pansy rolled her eyes and snickered. "Who would you be trying to change into, Longbottom? And why on earth would you have Patil help you? She's as dense as quartz."  
Parvati scowled, looking offended. "No one asked you, Pansy. Why are you here anyway?"  
"I could ask you the same. You tell me your answer, I'll give you mine."  
"Answer to what? Why we're here?"  
"No, who Neville dearest is trying to morph himself into. Tell me, I'll find out anyway."  
"Ron." Neville answered quickly, then gasped. "Oh, no!"  
"Why Ron?" Pansy asked, her voice shaking slightly. "What could you possibly want to change into Weasly for?"  
"T-t-to try a-a-and g-g-get re-re-revenge." Neville stuttered.  
"On me?" Pansy asked softly. Parvati nodded curtly. "What did I ever do to you?"  
"We know." Parvati said, just before she and Neville stepped back into the shadows and disappeared from view.  
  
Pansy sat up in bed. The back of her night gown clung to her flesh with sweat. She panted. It was just a dream. There was no conspiracy against her, she had never spoken with Crabbe. None of it was real. She took a few deep breaths and slid of the bed. She found her slippers and walked downstairs. She was surprised to find Crabbe sitting on the bottom of the stairs.  
"Pansy? Is that you?" Crabbe asked.  
Pansy was speechless. This was exactly how her dream had come. "Crabbe?" She called hoarsely.  
"It's me," Crabbe stood up. "It's 2:28 in the morning, why are you awake, Pansy?"  
That seemed about right, she and Crabbe talked for roughly 2 minutes in her dream, which would mean when he left it was 2:30. Then. she found Neville and Parvati. It wasn't true. It was just a coincidence. She probably heard Crabbe saying the time and that he was going downstairs to Draco or Goyle and dreamed it.  
"Pansy?" Crabbe repeated.  
Pansy snapped back to reality. "Yes?"  
"Is everything alright?"  
"No, Crabbe. I just had a dream."  
"A dream?" Crabbe looked at her, struggling to focus in the dark. Pansy had paused halfway down the staircase, and now leaned against the heavy banister. "About what?"  
"Nothing, I just came down to see if I left. my book bag down here." If she hurried the conversation along, she wouldn't be down here until 2:30 and prove the dream false. She suddenly thought of a trick her muggle friend had taught her when they were little girls. If you put someone's hand in cold water, you could influence their dreams. The shock of the cold made their subconcious mind alert while their concious mind slept on. That was what had happened.  
Enough with the conspiracies! Pansy scolded herself angrily. No one is out to get you! Ron is just being a jerk. No one's making you dream certain dreams and no one's switching bodies to get revenge.  
"I know," Crabbe muttered.  
Pansy gasped. "What did you say?"  
"I said that I know where your book bag is, I wasn't sure if it was yours. It's by the Gryffindor portrait. What were you doing there?" Crabbe asked.  
"Just on a walk," Pansy lied. "I guess I'd better go get it."  
"I'll go with you. I can't sleep." Crabbe volunteered.  
Pansy thought for a moment. If her dream came true, then she would have a witness. "Alright, let's go."  
They walked to the portrait together. Crabbe pushed it open and let her through. Once outside, the two walked side by side quickly in the direction of where she had left her bag. Which was had she been walking in her dream? This way? She wasn't sure.  
"Tell me about your dream." Crabbe suggested after a few minutes of silence.  
"Well, I thought in my dream."  
"That's odd," Crabbe commented. "What were you thinking about?"  
"I saw Neville and Parvati casting a spell, and he drank a potion. He was turning himself into Ron. He said it was to get revenge on me."  
"That's even odder."  
"No kidding." Pansy said as they reached the portrait. She saw her bag, grabbed it and slung it over her shoulder. "Let's go. I hate this place." 


	5. Pansy's Close Call

The next morning, Pansy reluctantly dressed for her first class, Potions, with the Gryffindors. Crabbe, Goyle, Draco, and several Slytherin girls were waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. It was unusual, Pansy usually walked to class alone. Apparently the three were worried about her. She blushed slightly as Draco grabbed her hand and asked her how she slept.  
"Fine," Pansy murmered. "And you?"  
"Horrible, I kept thinking about you," Draco told her, smiling.  
Pansy blushed twice as much as she had before. "Why?"  
"We're worried. We feel like we should be doing something about what happened. We want to curse him or something."  
Pansy's mouth dropped open. "No, don't do anything, Draco!"  
"Why not?" Draco asked, obviously surprised.  
"Just. trust me, you don't want to mess with him," She frowned. "He's trouble."  
"Where's your book bag, Pansy?" One of the girls asked.  
"I left it in my room!" Pansy sighed. "I'll be right back." She ran up the stairs and threw open the door into her room. The first thing she saw was that the window was open. She looked around the room, and saw that it was empty. She sighed and shut the window. Then she crossed the room to her bed. She stopped in midstep, about a foot away. Someone was lying in her bed! Pansy's breath caught in her throat. She reached a shaky hand outward, grabbed the hem of the blanket, and ripped it backwards. She sighed in relief- it was just her pillow. She put a hand on her heart and took several deep breaths. She fixed her bed, then found her book bag. She made sure she had all the books she needed, then walked downstairs. The girls, Crabbe, and Goyle had left already. Draco stood alone, leaning against the banister, with his hands crossed over his chest. Pansy hurried down the stairs, feeling guilty that she had kept him. How long had she been upstairs, anyway? He turned around slowly and grinned at her. "Let me carry that," He volunteered and took the bag before she could protest. "Are you okay? You look pale." "Paler than usual, you mean," Pansy laughed. "I'm fine. I just had a little scare upstairs. I thought there was someone in my bed. But it was just my pillow." Draco laughed and Pansy felt her cheeks glow red. "Well, then, let's go before we're late to class." Once again he put his hand over hers and led her through the portrait hole. They walked to the Potions classroom. Draco pushed the door open and let Pansy walk through before him. He shut it with a thud and Pansy looked around. Professor Snape was no where in sight. Neither were the other students. Pansy turned around and looked at Draco, confused. "Where is everybody?" "There're making the Insta-Cut Potion outside today," A familiar voice said from the opposite side of the room. Pansy jumped. Draco put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Pansy?" He asked. "You aren't usually this edgy." "The stupid prat scared me, that's all," Pansy glared at Ron. "Then why are you here?" Ron shrugged then turned to Draco. "You know?" He asked. Draco stared blankly at him. "Know what?" Ron looked at Pansy next. "You didn't tell him?" "Tell him what, exactly, Ron?" Pansy asked, feeling her legs turn to rubber. She was alone in the room with Ron and Draco- Ron would attack her as soon as he got the chance and Draco wasn't prepared to defend himself or Pansy. She reached a shaky hand into her bag and wrapped her fingers around her wand. "What's been happening." Ron shrugged. "Of course you didn't. What's he supposed to do to protect you from me, anyway?" "You?" Draco asked, wide eyed. "You're the one who did it?" "Not necessarily." Ron said. "Yes, I wanted revenge. She broke my heart." Pansy gasped. "What are you talking about? I haven't done anything to you!" "Exactly my point," He took a menacing step forward. Draco stepped in front of Pansy. "Get out of my way, Malfoy." Draco scowled at Ron. "Don't tell me what to do." Ron held out his wand and muttered something. Pansy, seeing his lips moved, grabbed Draco's shoulders and pulled him down to the floor. In one swift movement, she pulled out her wand and sent a jet of fire at his legs. The bottom of his robes caught flames and he shreiked in pain. Draco helped Pansy up and the two ran out of the room. "Why didn't you tell me it was Weasley?" Draco asked Pansy, panting, as they ran down the hallway. Pansy had no idea where they were going, Draco had his hand tightened around her elbow and was practically dragging her along. "Because. if I told you, I thought you would try and hurt him," Pansy bit her lower lip. Draco stopped. "So what if I hurt him? He hurt you, Pansy," Draco frowned at her and let her arm drop to her side. "In more ways than one, Draco." Draco's mouth dropped open. "The potion you were looking up. was for. him?" Pansy looked down at the ground and started to explain to Draco what had really happened but was interupted by Ron's insane screams. "Pansy! Malfoy! Get back here!" He shouted loudly, his voice echoing through the halls. "I'm not finished with you yet." Pansy barely had time to scream when the blue light filled the hallway. 


	6. Pansy's Killer

It took Pansy a moment to realize that the figure lying on the ground beside her feet was Ron and not Draco. So, who had cast that spell? She looked wildly around. Draco, too, was searching for the cause of the blue light. The air was thick was gray smoke, and Pansy could barely make out Draco.  
"Who did that?" Pansy coughed, her eyes watering.  
"I did." A voice called from the end of the hall behind them. Pansy whirled around. This time she had enough time to scream and even stumble backwards into Draco's waiting arms.  
"You!" She shouted, fear filling her mind once again. "But, that's you!" She pointed down at the limp body on the ground.  
Ron was lying on the ground, unconcious, and also standing at the other end of the hallway, holding out his wand.  
"No it isn't."  
"Yes it is, you-" Draco started. "Longbottom?" He asked aloud, confusion tinting his voice.  
"What are you talking about, Draco?" Pansy asked.  
"Look, Pansy, it's Neville on the ground, not Ron!" Draco knelt down. "Polyjuice Potion!" He stood back up and looked at the real Ron. "Why in hell would he want to change into you to get 'revenge' on Pansy for 'breaking his heart'?"  
Ron shrugged. "How should I know? I'm not psychic, Malfoy."  
"So, are you the one hurting me?" Pansy asked, dreading the answer.  
"Hurting you?" Ron asked, obviously caught off guard by the question. "I haven't hurt you, Parkinson."  
"Then it's been Neville doing it," Pansy leaned against the wall to steady herself. She looked up at Draco. "Now, may I finish telling you about the potion?"  
Draco nodded. "Yes," He answered bluntly.  
"The potion I was looking at wasn't for Ron, I don't like him."  
"Then. who do you like?"  
"It wasn't your buisness yesterday and it's not your buisness today," Pansy said, smiling. "But you'll know soon enough, Draco."  
"You like me?" Ron asked, his voice higher than usual.  
"I just got through saying that I didn't, Weasley, get your ears checked," Pansy snapped. "Now that we're all settled on the matter of who's been torturing me every night, what do we do about class?"  
Draco looked at Pansy. "Your eyes are really red. Are you asthmatic?"  
Pansy shrugged. "Not that I know of, but I haven't ever been checked. Come to think of it, I am having a hard time breathing. So what?"  
"I'll walk you down to the Hospital Wing," He looked at Ron. "And why are you here?"  
Ron shrugged again. "Snape sent me to come and find you two."  
"Tell him that Pansy's sick, and I walked her down to the Hospital Wing, and I'll be there in a few minutes," Draco instructed.  
"Yes, King Malfoy," Ron said sarcastically, bowing before he walked off in the direction of the Herbology green houses.  
"I'm fine, really, Draco, maybe I'll just go upstairs and skip class to lay down," Pansy suggested.  
"Don't be silly." Draco said. "You're my pass out of class."  
Of course, Draco was only using her to get out of class. He wasn't even a partial friend to her. Pansy rolled her eyes. "How kind of you."  
"Anytime, Pansy." 


	7. Pansy's Lover

An hour later Pansy was sitting at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall for lunch. She was excused from classes for the rest of the day, her throat was swelling and she kept coughing up blood. She sat at the end of the table, in the farthest back corner, surrounded by her friends. As she had suspected, Draco and Goyle told everyone about what Neville had been doing to her, and now every Slytherin wanted to get a chance to talk to Pansy about her trauma.  
Draco, who was sitting on Pansy's left, kept leaning dangerously close to her. Pansy had to lean back to keep his head from colliding with hers. Crabbe and Goyle found it hillarious when, on the third time, Pansy leaned back to far and fell backwards into a Ravenclaw student. She murmered an apology and the disgruntled Ravenclaw shouted something that made Pansy blush bright red before walking off.  
"Pansy," A Slytherin 6th year asked from across the table. "Did he rape you?"  
Pansy, who had just recovered from the Ravenclaw's insult, blushed furiously. "No, of course not."  
"What'd he do to you, Pansy?" She insisted.  
"Just made it hard for me to breathe, that's all, Serinity," Pansy said, irratated. She glared at Draco and Goyle, who pretended not to notice. "Why'd you tell them?" She hissed angrily. "I trusted you two!"  
"You told Crabbe!" Goyle protested. "So we figured we could tell people."  
"It's about me!" Pansy cried. "It isn't your decision who you can or cannot tell! I can tell anyone I want, but you can't. Look at Crabbe, he didn't tell a soul!"  
Crabbe hid his face in embarassment behind his hands.  
Pansy stood up. "If you'll all excuse me, I'm going to my room." She walked out of the Great Hall without another word, despite the protests of the entire Slytherin table. Pansy ran up the staircase to her dorm and locked the door. She didn't care if she was locking the other girls out of their room, she knew why they would come up- to ask her more questions.  
She plopped down on the edge of her bed. Tears stung her eyes. She wiped them away with the back of her hand just as there was a knock on the door.  
"Go away!" Pansy shouted angrily.  
"Pansy, it's me!" Draco called.  
"Go away!" Pansy repeated, louder this time.  
"Please let me in!" Draco pleaded.  
"Are you a complete moron?" Pansy asked, crossing the room and opening the door. "I said go away, I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone."'  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have told."  
"You're right. You shouldn't have." Pansy snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. "I trusted you, Draco. I thought you were my friend."  
"And I am!" Draco cried. "It was a mistake."  
"No, my coming here was a mistake." Pansy slammed the door shut and locked it before Draco even knew she was back in the room. He pounded on the door again.  
"Come on, Pansy, let me in!"  
"No!" Pansy shouted. "Go away!"  
After a few minutes, Draco left. Pansy lay face down on her bed, crying into her pillow. For the first time since she came to Hogwarts she felt completely and totally alone. After an hour or so, classes ended and the girls began to arrive in the hallway. They tried the doorknob, and seeing as it wouldn't open, spelled it to open- doing what Draco hadn't though of.  
"Pansy!" One of the girls cried, as if concerned to see her crying on her bed. "What's wrong?"  
Pansy sat up and looked at her. She wiped her eyes. "Nothing's wrong." She told her angrily. "Mind your own buisness."  
The girl shook her head then walked to her own bed. She dropped her book bag down. "Fine, then, don't tell me."  
"I wasn't planning on it."  
"Ok then."  
"Ok." Pansy turned back over and pressed the pillow over her face. She felt the pillow being lifted slowly away. "Hey!" She cried, grabbing it. "I'm trying to sleep."  
Draco was standing behind her.  
"What are you doing here?" She asked, sitting up. "You're not supposed to be in here, this is a girl's dorm! Get out!"  
"It's fine with us," One of the girls told Pansy. "Actually, we suggested he come up and talk to you. We're going to leave you two alone." And the four girls left, shutting and locking the door behind them.  
"What are you doing here?" Pansy repeated.  
"I'm here to see how you're doing, Pansy," Draco said, reaching for her hand. Pansy drew it back to her shoulder quickly.  
"I'm miserable, Draco," She told him mournfully. "And it's all your fault."  
"All my fault?"  
Pansy looked Draco straight in the eyes. "I can't believe you, Draco."  
"Tell me."  
"Tell you what?" She asked.  
"Who you love." He told her.  
"No!"  
"Yes!"  
"I won't." She protested.  
"I'll make you." He said confidently.  
"You can't make me!" Pansy shouted.  
"Please, Pansy, I'm just curious."  
"Why do you care so much?"  
"Because I love you!" 


	8. Pansy's Dead Peer

Pansy sat, dumbfounded, for a few seconds before saying, "You. love me?"  
"Of course, I always have," Draco said, blushing.  
"I've never seen you blush," Pansy said, biting her lower lip. "How do I know you're telling the truth, and not just saying it to cheer me up?"  
"Because I'm blushing."  
"Oh," Pansy looked at the stone floor, then back to Draco. "Why?"  
"Why am I blushing?" Draco asked, confused.  
"No, why do you love me?"  
Draco paused for a second, then leaned in and kissed her. Pansy jumped back in surprise, breaking the kiss.  
"What do you think you're doing?" She cried, standing up.  
"Kissing you." Draco said slowly, as if she were a child.  
"I know that, but- but-" Pansy was too lost for words. She couldn't describe how she felt. She felt scared- she was alone and locked in this room with Draco- and excited- he was in love with her. But which emotion was the dominant one? And how did she feel about Draco, not about the kiss?  
"But you don't feel the same way?" Draco filled in.  
Pansy shrugged. "I don't know, Draco. You're a great guy, and any girl in this school would love to be with you including me, but I don't know if I'm good enough for you."  
Draco smiled. "You're right."  
Pansy shrugged. "I knew you'd agree that I'm not right for you."  
"No, I mean you're right that a lot of girls like me," Draco said, still smiling. "So why, out of all the girls in the school, did I pick you?"  
"I'm wondering the same thing." Pansy suddenly felt extremely happy. When Draco leaned in to kiss her a second time, she didn't resist. Pansy wrapped her arms around his neck, and prayed that the kiss would last forever.  
They were interupted by a loud knock on the door. "Pansy! Draco! Come quick!" Goyle's gruff voice shouted. "Someone's killed Ron!" He sounded estatic.  
Draco jumped up and ran to the door. "What?"  
"Someone's killed Ron!" Goyle repeated, his eyes glinting with excitement. Pansy checked her hair in the mirror, which at that particular moment should have been her last concern, and joined the two in the doorway.  
"Let's go and see," Draco said, grabbing Pansy's hand for a third time. Pansy smiled to herself as they walked hand in hand down the staircase and to the Gryffindor portrait.  
In the middle of the hallway lay Ron's limp body. Pansy felt her knees go weak at the sight of the blood and leaned against Draco. Nearly the entire school was gathered around the corpse, the three had to fight their way through the crowd to get a good look.  
There was a long gash that went from the middle of his forhead to his stomache. The gash was deep and surrounded by green liquid. Snape stepped forward and examined the liquid. He turned to the excited and startled crowd and announced, "It's Insta-Cut Potion, and too much of it. Someone among you is a murderer."  
"There're making the Insta-Cut Potion outside today." Ron's- rather Neville's- words rung in Pansy's head. She stood on her tiptoes and searched the crowd. Draco put a hand on her shoulder and whispered, "What are you looking for, Pansy?"  
"Neville," Pansy muttered, concentrating on the sea of disgusted faces.  
"Why Neville?"  
"Do you remember what he said to us in the Potions room?" Pansy asked.  
Draco thought, then his eyes widened. "They made the Insta-Cut Potion yesterday!"  
Pansy gave up and stood normally. "Someone in our class killed Ron. And I think it was Neville. Do you remember what he said about how I broke his heart? And that he knew?"  
Draco nodded. "Yes. So what?"  
"I think he meant that he 'knew' I liked Ron, and that maybe on some odd chance he liked me and that broke his heart," Pansy shrugged. "I'm being paranoid again."  
"It's possible." Draco said.  
"What do you think, Draco?" Pansy asked, turning to him.  
Draco shrugged. "I definently think someone in our class killed Ron. Whether or not it was Neville is beyond me. You're twice as smart as I am, and if you believe it was Neville, then I believe you."  
Despite the bloody corpse a few feet in front of her, Pansy felt incredibly happy. 


	9. Pansy's Love Scene

That night, Pansy sat up in her room while the others were at dinner. She was upset about the bloody sight earlier, and she still had butterflies in her stomache. But she was also confused- and the three feelings don't exactly make a person hungry. She sat at the edge of her bed, reading a book about curses and potions that she found earlier in the library. It had somehow slipped out of the restricted section, lucky for her. She had the book open on her lap, turned to page 215: Insta-Cut Potion.  
She skipped the ingridients and read about the purposes aloud: "A small amount can be used to get rid of poison in the victim's blood stream. However, even a drop can be lethal. To use, smear potion- which should be a deep blue at this point- over the victim's skin. On contact, the potion will bubble and should turn any shade of green, depending on where the potion was applied. In a matter of seconds, the cut will appear. Note, this potion also numbs, so that the victim won't suffer any pain." She paused and looked around the room. "At least he didn't suffer. It must have scared the living hell out of him though. I almost regret bullying him all these years." She giggled.  
There was a knock on the door. "Come in!" She called cheerfully, knowing who it would be. Sure enough, Draco emerged. "Hi, Draco!" She hurried across the room. "Look at what I found."  
"It isn't like you to read, Pansy," Draco said, smiling as he took the book. He scanned the page quickly then looked back to her. "So you're sure this is what killed him?"  
Pansy nodded. "It's really complicated to make, so I don't think anyone besides Granger would be able to do it without Snape's help. Don't you think?" She peered into his blue eyes. He shrugged. "Is everything alright?"  
He shrugged again and said softly, "I think. I think I know who killed Ron."  
Pansy tilted her head. "Who, Draco?"  
He handed her the book. "All I can say is that at this point I don't think it was Neville. I think someone made Neville do and say all those things. Someone who would really benefit from seeing you miserable. But- but I don't know why she'd kill Ron."  
"She? Draco, you don't mean-"  
"Hermione," Draco finished. "Yes, I think that it's her. She hates you, she hates me. She knows how I feel about you. And she's smart, you said so yourself. She could have made it seem like Ron was beating you, then Neville, then kill Ron with the potion the Gryffindors, including Neville, made."  
"But she's friends with Ron," Pansy said. "I don't see why she would kill him."  
"You know how she feels about school, it's her life," Draco explained. "If Ron found out and threatened to turn her in, of course she'd kill him."  
Pansy shrugged. "This is really confusing." Draco handed her the book back, she closed it, and set it back in her bag. She sat down on her bed and leaned against the headboard.  
"It isn't exactly a walk through the woods, is it?" Draco said, crossing the room and sitting beside her. He put his arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. "But I won't let her get you, Pansy."  
Pansy smiled. "Thanks, Draco."  
"My pleasure."  
Pansy closed her eyes and wondered why Hermione would try to do something this drastic. She had obviously done something to piss her off lately. Then she remembered her dream. Should she tell Draco about how Neville and Parvati made the potion? She was sure he'd want to know.  
"Draco," She started. "I dreamed that Neville and Parvati were doing it. I mean, making the potion together and having Neville change into Ron. Before it even happened." She opened her eyes to see his expression. He was looking down at her. "Do you believe me?"  
Draco nodded. "Of course. I was just so proud of myself for finding a suspect with a motive that fit the crime."  
Pansy laughed. "You did great. It was just a dream. And maybe it was really Hermione, I just thought it looked like Parvati."  
Draco shrugged. "That's a possibility, I guess."  
"So you really think it was Hermione?"  
Draco shrugged again. "I don't really care who did it."  
"Why not?" Pansy asked, surprised.  
"Because I'm here with you."  
Pansy smiled, shut her eyes again, and fell asleep. 


	10. Pansy's Love Potion Goes Wrong

When Pansy woke up the next morning, Draco was gone. She was still, however, leaning against the headboard. The other girls had already gone to breakfast. How had she slept through Draco leaving and the girls getting ready? Pansy hurried and got ready. Then, she remembered it was a Saturday, so she slowed down. She found a clean uniform in her chest and a pair of black pumps. She found a vial of lipgloss on the floor, and applied it carefully. She admired the shine for a few moments before leaving.  
She walked down the stairs and into the common room. She was surprised to find Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle sitting at the chair. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, they all looked up, smiling broadly at her. They exchange knowing looks as she returned a shaky greeting.  
"Hello," She said softer than usual as she stepped up behind them. "Where's everyone gone?"  
"Breakfast." Draco answered, still smiling.  
Pansy pretended to ignore the stupid smile. "What time is it?"  
"Nine."  
She was suddenly aware of a strange feeling in her lower abdomen. "What happened last night?" She asked Draco, fighting the urge to grab her stomache.  
"You fell asleep and I left," Draco said, and Goyle snickered.  
Pansy shot a look in Crabbe's direction. "What really happened, Crabbe?"  
Crabbe looked akward. He looked between Draco and Goyle for a moment then said, "Just what Draco said, Pansy."  
Pansy sighed. "Alright. It's obvious you're hiding something from me. I'm going to breakfast."  
"Breakfast is over." Draco said.  
"You just said it's nine!" Pansy said, rolling her eyes. "And that everyone was at breakfast."  
"What I mean is that breakfast is over for you, Pansy." Draco told her, laughing. "But not just breakfast. Lunch, dinner, and your life, too."  
Pansy's mouth dropped open. "That isn't funny, Draco."  
He was still laughing. "I'm not Draco."  
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Did someone sneak marijuana in here, and you three stole it? You're acting really strange, Draco."  
"Why do you keep calling me that?" He asked her, suddenly very serious.  
"You know why."  
"You're right," Draco said, standing up. "I know."  
Pansy gasped. "You aren't Draco! You're-"  
"Hermione."  
Pansy took a step backwards. "And I suppose those two are Neville and Parvati."  
"You're a lot brighter than I thought, Pansy," Draco-Hermione said, taking a step closer to her. "I have to give you that."  
"You killed Ron!" Pansy accused, pointing a finger at the three. "Why did you do it?"  
Draco-Hermione shrugged. "He was just a pawn in this all."  
"What all, exactly?"  
"To get back at you."  
"For?" Pansy was starting to get nervous. With each word, Draco- Hermione took a step forward. Crabbe and Goyle, or whoever they were, were also standing up.  
"I love him!" Draco-Hermione shrieked, now walking quickly towards Pansy. Before Pansy could react, Draco-Hermione had her- or Draco's- hands on Pansy's shoulders and was shaking her furiously.  
"Stop!" Pansy cried, pushing Draco-Hermione off. The potion was starting to wear off, Draco's blonde hair was elongating and turning brow. Crabbe, who was obviously Neville, was getting shorter and his hair too was changing. "Who do you love? Ron?"  
"Draco!" Hermione's voice cried from Draco's mouth. If the situation had been slightly different, Pansy would have been on the floor in hysterics by then. "I love him but he loves you!"  
"You don't love him," Pansy said, and she couldn't help but smile. "You hate him. So do Ron and Harry."  
Hermione pulled a wand out of her robes- yes, it was totally her now- and pointed it between Pansy's eyes.  
There was a crash, and Pansy turned to see a small group run into the common room. 


	11. Pansy's Enemy

"Draco!" Pansy cried, pushing past Hermione and running to him. "Thank God you're here!" She stopped and remembered Hermione. "You. are Draco, right?" He leaned in and kissed her. "Good enough for me." Pansy stepped to Draco's side.  
Crabbe and Goyle had their wands out, but Pansy had a feeling they would be using physical strength to punish Hermione, Neville, and Parvati.  
"I know!" Hermione cried, dropping her wand in surprise. "Pansy, I know!"  
"What are you talking about?" Pansy shouted angrily. "I'm sick of hearing that!"  
"I know your secret," Hermione said softly, apparently much calmer. "I know what you did."  
"What I did when?"  
"The potion," Hermione told her, louder this time. "I was in the library when you made it, I was listening. You made a love potion!"  
"For Draco?" Pansy asked as Hermione retrieved her wand.  
"Not for Draco!" Hermione sat down on the bottom of the staircase. "For me!"  
Pansy's mouth dropped open. "It wasn't supposed to make you fall in love with Draco, just anyone you can't have."  
"You're damn right she can't have me!" Draco said angrily.  
Hermione's mouth dropped open. "It's your fault! It's your fault my grades are horrible and I'm going to be expelled if I let you four live. How could you do this, Pansy? I never did anything to you."  
"You like her boyfriend," Crabbe offered.  
"That's her fault! That doesn't count!" Hermione protests.  
"Hermione, just leave. We don't want to hurt you," Goyle said.  
"Yes we do!" Draco cried.  
"Shut up!" Pansy hissed.  
"It's ok," Crabbe, who was standing just behind Pansy, whispered. "Professor Dumbledor and Snape are on their way."  
"How'd you know?" Pansy whispered back.  
Crabbe shrugged. "They tied us up in the Gryffindor common room. We had a pretty good idea where they were headed looking like us."  
Pansy nodded. "Right." She looked back to Hermione. "I put it on you before. before I fell in love."  
"You, in love?" Parvati asked, laughing. "Who's the unlucky bastard?"  
Draco stepped forward, he didn't need to say anything. Parvati stopped laughing immediently.  
"Sorry," She murmered.  
"Don't apologize!" Hermione cried, she was now in tears. Pansy stepped forward and put her hands on her hips.  
"Face it," She said loudly. "You can't have him. You don't even really like him. He's the only guy in the school you can't ever possibly get him, I did it to hurt you. To punish you for what your stupid friend was doing to me."  
"But it wasn't Ron." Neville pointed out. "It was me."  
"She didn't know that at the time, and you're still her stupid friend, aren't you, Longbottom?" Goyle said, smiling.  
"How can you sit there smiling like an idiot at a time like this?" Pansy asked him angrily. Goyle shrugged and fought to keep a straight face. The portrait door swung open and Dumbledor and Snape entered.  
"Miss Granger, Miss Patil, and Mister Longbottom," Dumbledor said slowly. "I would like to see you three in my office immediently to discuss your punishment."  
Snape looked at Pansy. "What happened here, Miss Parkinson?"  
"Do you want the long or short version?"  
"Short, please." Snape said, watching Dumbledor lead Neville, Hermione and Parvati outside.  
"Hermione tried to kill me because she can't have Draco." 


	12. Epilouge: Pansy's Love Rival

Epilouge:  
Pansy, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle shared a compartment on the train ride home. Pansy and Draco sat holding hands and talking about what they were going to do over the summer. Crabbe and Goyle were trying to figure out which one should be Pansy's bodyguard and which one should be Draco's. It was apparently a tough decision because by the time the train pulled into the station they were still arguing.  
Draco waved goodbye to his friends and girlfriend- although by next year he will have completely forgotten about her. He got into his father's car, and they drove home. His father told him that he and his mother had gotten a divorce, and they were going to have their new neighbors over for dinner. Draco shrugged off the news. When they arrived at his house, he changed into a pair of jean shorts and a white teeshirt.  
At a quarter to six, the doorbell rang. Draco hurried down to answer it. Two girls, both around his age, stood on the doormat. One had dark skin, black hair, green eyes, was short and curvy. The other was about half a foot taller than the first with brown hair, and brown eyes.  
"Hi," The first girl said. "I'm De, this is my friend Erica."  
"Hello," Erica grinned.  
De looked Draco up and down and smiled. "And you are.?"  
"Draco," He said, grinning. "Come in."  
"I love your accent," Erica said. "It's sexy."  
"Thanks."  
De elbowed Erica lightly in the stomache. "Erica, I saw him first!"  
"We came here at the same time and so we saw him at the same time!" Erica protested as they stepped into the living room. "So I'll fight you to the death for-" She stopped.  
"Hello, ladies," Draco's father said, standing up. "Welcome to our home."  
De looked at Erica, then to Draco. "Hey, um, Draco, why don't you show me your room?"  
"Ok!" Draco said, leading De upstairs.  
Erica stood akwardly in the doorway. She looked at Lucius for a minute before saying, "I'm Erica."  
"Nice to meet you Erica. I'm Lucius Malfoy."  
There was a strange crash from upstairs. "I'll go see if De's okay. Knowing her, she's run into a wall and cracked her skull open."  
Lucius laughed as Erica walked up. She eventually found Draco's room and knocked.  
"Dad?" Draco called.  
"No, it's me Erica. Are you guys okay?"  
"We're fine."  
"Are you sure? What was that crash?"  
"It was nothing, we're fine."  
"We heard it downstairs, it couldn't have been nothing. If De broke something I'll make her pay for it, your dad will find out so there's no point in hiding it."  
"For the love of Christ!" De shouted. "Erica Lynn Anderson, go downstairs!"  
Erica smiled. "I think this is going to work out perfectly." She said to herself as she walked back down to the living room.  
Lucius was sitting on the couch. "Come join me, Erica. Is everything up there alright?"  
Erica paused, wondering what she should tell Lucius.  
He laughed. "Of course, it isn't the first time. Can I get you something?"  
Erica smiled and nodded. "Sure."  
Lucius left the room. A few minutes later De and Draco came downstairs, grinning. De winked at Erica, who groaned in disgust.  
"We didn't do that you perv," De whispered as Draco left to help his dad in the kitchen. "I'm not a compelte idiot, Erica."  
"Then why'd you wink?" Erica asked, crossing her arms and fighting back a smile.  
"He's got a hurricane tounge." De shared, still smiling. Erica groaned again. "Oh, grow up." De plopped down beside Erica.  
"No! Lucius is sitting there," Erica said, shoving De off.  
"Oh! I see. Let's see, you'll be my step-mother-in-law. I'll be your step-daughter-in-law. And that's supposing you don't get arrested."  
"Wonderful." 


End file.
